WEDNESDAY 5.16
The Flat Tires It’s all about brawls, honky tonk women and booze — specifically the working man’s elixir, PBR. North Carolina Hellbilly posse the Flat Tires haul along plenty of tire irons to pound out their brand of country-punk and rockabilly. They hit the stage with the proverbial pedal to the metal and don’t ease off till the damn thing is riding on fumes. With the Blade of the Ripper, Glasspack and 2013 Wolves. Milestone (Shukla)
Godsmack Alterna-metal rockers Godsmack’s frontman Sully Erna still owes a debt of gratitude to Alice in Chains howler Layne Staley’s soaring vocal style. Godsmack aren’t breaking new ground with their latest disc IV, but they remain consistent and hold the pattern of their steady, pop-metal releases over the past decade. Ovens Auditorium (Shukla)
THURSDAY 5.17
Scott Miller & the Commonwealth Last year’s Citation was recorded in the Fort Sanders area of Knoxville — where Miller rented an apartment to write songs for the album — and Memphis, where Miller worked with legendary musician and producer Jim Dickinson. Recorded with his band the Commonwealth, the album has the usual burn-at-high-heat Miller originals, lovely ballads (see “Long Goodnight”) and even a spot-on cover of “Hawks & Doves,” the title track of the 1980 album of the same name by Neil Young. In a genre that too often talks “authenticity” and walks a marketing plan, Miller’s the real deal — and has been for years. With Anne McCue. Neighborhood Theatre (Davis)
FRIDAY 5.18
Ruby James Blues-rock gal Ruby James is a little bit Melissa Etheridge and a heaping of Bonnie Raitt. She describes herself as a Sweettart, lil’ bit sweet, lil’ bit sour. That descript is not too off the mark for James, though I’d peg her as a more rocking apparition of Maria McKee. But to her credit, James is bent on dusting off comparisons in breaking her own musical turf. Double Door Inn (Shukla)
Possum Jenkins The Boone, N.C.-based Possum Jenkins concoct brewski-soaked country-soul that showcases a distinct love of outlaw country as well as alt.country. to boot, their solid writing pays tribute to rocking Southern boogie, where the ghosts of Steve Earle and Blue Mountain drop in for a cold one. Puckett’s Farm Equipment (Shukla)
Jon Dee Graham The last time Graham and his band (which then included ex-Butthole Surfer Andrew Duplantis) played here was on a Monday night in front of a tiny crowd. How tiny? Graham learned everybody’s name so he could introduce all of them to every late-arriving straggler. What could have easily been a handful-of-songs-and-out practice session became instead two hours of leave-it-all-out-there transcendence (and high-quality banter). Graham’s got a voice like 20 miles of dirt road, plays guitar like he’s possessed, and cut his teeth with Alejandro Escovedo in the seminal ’80s roots-punk band, True Believers. He pens more wistful country-flavored rock these days, but he’s as goddamn punk rock as it gets. This is the early 8 p.m. show, with Secondhand Stories headlining the late show. Evening Muse (Schacht)
SATURDAY 5.19
Heidi Sidelinker Along with her 12-string acoustic, Willoe, Sidelinker offers a spirited and captivating solo performance. It’s sad the singer/songwriter is leaving the QC this month to move to NYC, but she says she’ll be back to perform from time to time. This show, opening for Heywire, is one of the last chances to see her before her departure. Visulite (Hahne)
SUNDAY 5.20
River City Rebels A punk and ska-tinged rock band with more lineup change than the current administration’s war department, RCR began life as The SKAtenders before signing to Victory Records changing members some more, recording with the likes of Jesse Malin, Duane Peters and Sylvain Sylvain, giving themselves nicknames, fighting through a few drug habits, considering a name change, losing more members, and, finally, getting dropped. What about the music, you may ask? Fair-to-middlin’, as you might expect from all the turnover. Give ’em credit for hangin’ in there, though. With The Dolly Rots, South Side Punx and The Villans. The Milestone (Davis)
MONDAY 5.21
Hatebreed There’s not a lot of musical variety in Hatebreed’s unrelenting hardcore assault, while the “angry as piss” lyrics are about as gloom and doom as they get. Yet, the metal-core quartet manages to stand a notch above the writhing mass and the steamroller reliably putters along with the newest recording Supremacy. Also on the bill: God Forbid, Evergreen Terrace, Terror, The Acacia Strain, and After the Burial. Tremont Music Hall (Shukla)
This article appears in May 16-22, 2007.
